Dec. 6 Bloomington Scholastic

On Saturday, December 6, University Elementary and BISCC hosted the 8th Annual Bloomington Scholastic Chess Open. Across four sections, 111 players battled for five rounds of either G/30 or G/40. In the 1st/Under section, Kaarthik Nagarathinam went undefeated in a field of 12 competitors, with Bloomington standout Gabriel Cohen finishing in sole possession of second place. Team trophies were won by University Elementary (1st) and Martinsville South (2nd). Meanwhile, in the 3rd/Under section, Rena Cohen topped 29 others by winning each of her games in quick fashion, winning first place and 117 rating points in the process. Team trophies were won by Eagle Elementary (1st), University Elementary (2nd), and Lost Creek Elementary (3rd). The largest section of the day was 6th/Under, with 51 players vying for the top prize. University Elementary fifth-grader Daniel Larsen continued his streak of impressive recent tournament performances by going undefeated again and bringing his rating to 1218, making him the fourth-rated 6th/Under player in the state and helping his team grab the first-place trophy. Finally, in the 8th/Under section, Max Muxhin won all of his games, with Tri-North Middle Schooler Ben Foley grabbing second place and Woodrow Wilson Middle School easily taking home top team honors. Special thanks to Michelle Burns for organizing the event, and to the directing crew of Jason Cole, Bobby Goddin, and Michael Douglas for all of their help. Complete individual results, not listed in tiebreak order, can be found athttp://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?201412063702